Catching Up...Part 1

Where to begin? Sorry about the silence over the past months but so much has been happening both in running and life so I will make this multi-part and start with the run part (since this is a running blog!).

I guess I should start with a quick wrap up of my last races that I never talked about...

The Halfs of August
I think I left off with my 5K in August but then I went back to higher distance...

Mora I raced this hilly course a few years ago, missing a top 3 finish by a couple minutes and it has been my goal to get a clock. The top 3 overall finishers get handmade replicas of the big city clock, how cool is that?
The weather was good, not too hot but still a little humid. We lined up and I took off behind a couple women and managed to hang in 2nd for about 10 miles but then I was passed by a smart runner who kept her speed. I ran with the goal of overtaking her but never got the chance and ended up in 3rd OA 2nd AG and got my clock! 1:38:30 (not my best but I'll take it!). Matt and O ran 5K and he finished 3rd in his AG!
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Women Rock without a free entry from a friend I wouldn't have been out there. It was raining, the course was slippery and they didn't even have it marked well. I was misdirected by a volunteer and added an extra 1/2 mile (fine since I was running as a 16 miler). I ran and chatted with the 1:40 pacer for much of the race and just tried to enjoy the run. Honestly no idea on time.

Sept Winning
Why not another 5K?!

Lions Matt, O and I all decided to run this local race. I headed out for a 2 mile w/u first then lined up. I got caught up behind this group of boys and made it my fastest 800m to get away (oops)! I then fell in behind a couple guys and stuck there. The course was pretty flat but a partial two loop course meaning passing/dodging lots of walkers after mile 2. I finished 1st OA with a PR! 21:11, and even better came away with a GC to a local running store and Punch Pizza! O finished first in her AG with a PR and a GC to a sporting goods store!

October Goal Race
I think I left you hanging with my Chicago Race prep and then silence! I will be brief...
Image may contain: Gwen Thielke, Jen Clement Schomaker and Amaza Reitmeier, people smiling, people standing and outdoor

Chicago The good: I BQ'd with a good cushion (3:37), it was a great weekend with friends and an amazing race. The bad: I was on goal pace for the first half plus but missed my goal, it was hot and I could tell my body wouldn't move better after about mile 18. Even running Tangents my Garmin had me running 28.2 miles! What?! Which would have put me at a marathon PR. The ugly: I finished with a massive blister under my big toe and minus 2 toenails. What? Must have been the heat. Anyways Chicago is amazing, I will run it again for sure. Crowded yet organized and great spectators.

A New Kind of November Racing
WBL 5K We all decided to run this 5K, a repeat of my August 5K, same course but different weather. Plus I was in the early stages of a nasty cold and suffering! I had no idea what I would do and almost decided to just run with O and Matt. Stupid (or stubborn) me decided to attempt a race. I failed and couldn't hold my pace as I was just tired and congested. I finished 22:xx but good enough for 2nd AG (4th OA) and O also finished 2nd AG but was cold and crabby about the whole thing. Lesson learned no winter racing until she is older!

Why not run an indoor 5K? How bad can 25 laps around a track be?!
Indoor 5K O and I both decided to run and such a great place to be able to have a kid run and not have to worry. The course was a 200m track with water stops at each corner, they had music playing. Runners were doing 5K, 10K, half and marathon. They smartly had the 5K, 10K line up ahead. My goal was a PR bt I had no idea what indoor racing was like. Since I wasn't sure how Garmin would be be I had a goal of a per lap time to go sub 21. We each had a person counting laps for us and cheering as we passed. It was kind of fun to run past the marathons who high fived as I passed. I got caught up a few times behind groups, hit one water stop as it was dry inside but managed a PR! 21:03! 1st 5K finisher, yay! O was 2nd woman behind me and 3rd 5K finisher!
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Finishing my last lap!
So there is is a quick 2nd half of 2017 racing in a nutshell! Happy to say the year in running ended better than it started. Stay turned for the next parts of catching up....

Have you run any different races? Indoor races? 



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